Things I did today

This evening, I watched the Taylor Swift Tiny Desk Concert put on by NPR. I like the Tiny Desk Concerts since you're able to get a closer look at the artist, and they often bring a different look to their songs, which was the case for this concert with Taylor Swift. While I'm not a huge fan of hers, I don't turn to a different video or channel when one of her songs come on. I like quite a few of them and think she's a great songwriter for being so young. What grabbed me about this concert was her ability to connect with the audience, and even the viewer, her real goal when it came to expressing what she wanted to convey emotionally with every song. She is an excellent performer and the concert made me want to look into going to one of her actual concerts. Maybe I'm missing out on something here! I enjoyed reading her Wikipedia page . While she had a leg up with having parents who had a fair amount of money, and her mother deciding to be a stay at home parent who co

Today's Geoguessr was great and awful! I was within yards for the first and third location, and within the correct country for the second, but totally bombed for the fourth and fifth locations. Clues for fourth location: Rural mountain road, with jagged rocks, and cars seeming to drive on the left, the foliage is list and green. Where does it look like this where people drive on the left? I picked a mountainous region of India.  It was an island off of Italy! Argh! Only got 42 points for that guess. Location 5 was in the US, which is great, except I was on a road with no road signs. The only sign i saw advertised the Big Squaw Resort. With that as a clue along with many pine trees, I selected Eastern Montana. It was a road in Maine. Ugh! Better luck next time. 

Ugh, I have a cold. I hate having colds, but luckily I don't get them often. Last time I got a cold was about 4 years ago. I'm being very careful as I don't want it to spread to anyone else. All I've been doing is washing my hands, carefully blowing my nose and breathing calmly. I went to bed at 8pm and was asleep at 8:30. Stayed asleep until the alarm went off at 6am. I'm doing my best to get over the cold, because I have a four day weekend ahead of me, and I certainly don't want to be sick for that. Water, tea, tea, tea, water, half a shot of whiskey with tea, tea, water and bland food. Well, bland food with half the amount of hot sauce I usually put it in. I don't feel too bad. My nose is a little drippy and stuffy, my throat is a little dry and I have a small headache - which is new. My nose hurts a little from blowing it often, but beyond that, I don't feel too bad. I'm hoping my regimen of a lot of sleep, no social activities, staying out o

Success!! I got the wine calendar and a cheese calendar as well! I arrived at the Aldi store just before 7am and was second in line. I didn't think the calendars would be so big - I thought the wine calendars would just be an ounce of wine per day, but apparently they are much more! Sadly, I didn't have a quarter on me or in my car, as I just cleaned my purse and car out! I borrowed a quarter from the first person in line to unlock a cart and waited for an hour for the store to open. By the time 8am rolled around, there were roughly 30 or so people in line. By the time I was checking out, almost all of the wine calendars and all of the beer calendars were spoken for. I was also second in line getting the calendar (because at the door, they give you a ticket for the calendar) and third buying the calendar. Interestingly and irritatingly, they do not allow alcohol sales until 8:30, so we had to wait after getting our calendars to check out. However, it is done! I got my cal

Tomorrow is the release of Aldi's Advent Calendars. This year, they will have a wine calendar and beer calendar. I hope to get both, but am happy with just the wine one. I'll be going before work in hopes to snap one up before everyone else gets up! Last year I went at lunchtime, and they had been all purchased well before then. I've heard that this year they will have more inventory - but not an endless supply. If I don't get them, I can just take my $35 and go buy two bottles of Meiomi, my favorite Pinot Noir.

It's open enrollment time at work. The company is very generous and pays our premiums if it's only the employee on the plan. It saves me up to $700 a month! This year I'll be contributing to my pre-tax accounts: FSA, HSA and 403(b). I haven't done the FSA before because I didn't have a reason to and that the FSA accounts can only carry $500 over after the calendar year ends. In 2020 and 2021, I'll be doing Invisalign to straighten up my teeth so my dentist can fix some fillings afterward. I already had the consultation with the orthodontist and know how much it will cost, and therefore know how much to put into my FSA. My HSA account is almost up to the point where I can start investing the excess again. The company also contributes to our HSA accounts every January, so it will be nice to invest that chunk as well. It's just a shame that my raise will get swallowed up into my FSA, but I'd be spending it after taxes for the Invisalign if I didn't!

I'm about halfway through reading The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday. I started it because it was recommended by Matt D'Avella, a Youtuber that I think produces great content. It's a fine book. and it seems like Ryan put a lot of effort and research into it. Sadly, I just don't like it. I feel like it's some sort of devotional or motivational book meant to make the reader feel good, what with the short chapters and good, but sometimes contradictory advice. You can win by continuing to fight. You can win by pausing and let the enemy continue to fight until they are exhausted. I'm certain Ryan is just suggestion multiple options to get to the goal, but it doesn't feel like the amazing awe inspiring book I expected it to be. What I'm getting so far is: 1. Do something that you think progresses you to your goal. 2. Did it? Reflect and change course if it did not. 3. Take the next action, and repeat 1 and 2 until you get to your goal. I'll pu